


Not That Sort of Kiss

by Beleriandings



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Cuiviénen, F/F, Tolkien Femslash Week, Underage probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-19
Updated: 2014-07-19
Packaged: 2018-02-09 12:58:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1983879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beleriandings/pseuds/Beleriandings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Under the stars and by the waters of Cuiviénen, two friends develop feelings for each other and learn that what they have been told about marriage and children is not all there is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not That Sort of Kiss

Anwë’s eyes were wide. “Elinessë, do you mean to say… you  _kissed_  a _boy_?”

"Silly" said her younger cousin Hallë, "Elinessë kisses boys all the time. So do you. So do I. Why, you kissed your father on the cheek this very morning, and I kissed my brother, and - "

"That’s not what I meant" said Anwë, with a pointed glare at Hallë. "I didn’t mean, like you kiss your family. You’re being stupid, Hallë." Anwë knew she was too old to be asked to look after Hallë really, who could be terribly dense sometimes, she thought. If their parents weren’t constantly worrying about them then she could be out kissing boys as Elinessë did even now, perhaps.

She stared at the older girl, who was smiling at them both with mild amusement in her eyes.  _Stars, but those eyes,_  Anwë found herself thinking, not for the first time. They were the palest green, almost as pale as Elinessë’s river of shining silver hair, bright against her brown skin. They were almost of a height now, Anwë realised, with a slight twist of triumph. 

"What  _did_  you mean then?” piped up Hallë, interrupting her thoughts. 

Anwë rolled her eyes, and was just trying to think of a cutting remark when Elinessë spoke. “You’ll find out when you’re older, Hallë. You’ll be a pretty one, like your cousin Anwë, I should think” she smiled at Anwë, “so don’t you worry about that. You’ll find out.”

"I don’t like when you two have secrets" groused Hallë, folding her arms. "You never explain anything!"

"Go ask your mother" said Anwë, feeling herself blushing.

Taking her at her word, Hallë ran off into the trees, back to the house. 

"You said I was pretty" said Anwë, once Hallë was out of earshot. She found her face glowing.

"Yes" said Elinessë. "Because you are."

They walked on in silence for a while, going deeper into the forest.

“ _Did_  you then?” said Anwë after a while,“kiss a boy, I mean.” She found herself imagining what it would be like to kiss someone like that, staring at Elinessë’s lips. They looked soft, rounded, very beautiful.

Elinessë laughed. “We did a lot more than kiss, that’s for certain.”

Anwë’s eyes went wide again, he heart speeding up a little. “Like… like what?”

Elinessë turned to look at her, curiously. “How much do you know about - “

"My mother’s told me some things. About how when you love a man, you’re supposed to marry him, and then let him stick his…" she felt herself blushing. "And then it’s supposed to feel nice. There are babies, too."

Anwë thought Elinessë might mock her, but she did not, staring at her thoughtfully instead. “It does indeed feel ‘nice’” she said. “Better than nice.”

Anwë started. “So, you’ve… but you haven’t married anyone, have you?”

"Not yet" said Elinessë. "I don’t know if I want to. Do you want to, Anwë?"

"I…" the truth was she had not really considered  _not_  marrying before. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She narrowed her eyes. “Elinessë, are you going to have a baby soon, then?”

"No, I should think not. If I do marry someone then perhaps I will have one then." She smiled a little. "Besides, there are things that you can do… that don’t result in babies."

Anwë was fascinated, feeling a little put out that her mother had left this part out. She was nearly as old as Elinessë, after all. “Like what?” she said at last, in a small voice.

Elinessë looked suddenly nervous, of all things, and younger than she was. She frowned, giving Anwë a long and searching look, raising her chin so that their eyes met. “Shall I show you?” she said at last.

The spot under Anwë’s chin where Elinessë’s fingers rested seemed to radiate heat as she stared into her friend’s beautiful face. “I…”  _Was it even possible?_  thought Anwë. “Yes” she said helplessly. “Please.”

That was the beginning of it. After that they would slip away sometimes into the forest, surreptitiously clasping hands as soon as they got out of the view of their village. They would kiss, sometimes, and touch one another… Anwë had no idea if what they did was something forbidden, for she had never seen nor heard of any other pair who had such an arrangement. But, she knew, it was best to be on the safe side, for things that felt this good were usually forbidden, in her experience. 

And it  _did_  feel good. Anwë had known Elinessë for most of her life, but in recent years, she realised now, she had entirely failed to recognise the strange tautness between the two of them for what it was. Now it was abundantly clear, and any tension had gone. They would lie with their arms around each other, or they would shower light kisses on the other’s skin, or perhaps they would lick and bite and wring little gasps from each other with quick fingers. Sometimes they would just sit and talk, but during those days in the forest they were truly happy.

As it turned out, Elinessë did not marry (although she had her ever-present string of male suitors) and neither did Anwë. Hallë grew up and married, and after her wedding feast they danced together, out in the open for everyone to see, hiding in plain sight.  _No one knew_ , Elinessë said,  _because no one expected it. We are unique._

Some days, Anwë wondered if they were truly unique. Most days, she did not care.


End file.
